Create Your Own Story
by Jack C. Trade IV
Summary: Struggling Adult and Author, Anna Vargas was trying to make something of herself in the world. Having written several manuscripts and been rejected by 99 publishers she was looking for a story to capture the people's interest. She found one in front of her, after being climbing out of the debris that was once the Village of Riyute.
1. Prolog

_**~Create Your Own Story~**_

Struggling Adult and Author, Anna Vargas was trying to make something of herself in the world. Having written several manuscripts and been rejected by 99 publishers she was looking for a story to capture the people's interest. She found one in front of her, after being climbing out of the debris that was once the Village of Riyute.

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_**A.N.:** This story is mostly to hash out some issues I have ben having with my life. Names have been changed and some events exaggerated. This story will contain mentions of mental issues, self harm, and other things that may be triggering. _

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_**~Prolog~**_

"Yay~. This makes 99." Anna sighed as she opened the ivory envelope, the white paper inside pulled out to inform her of another rejection that fluttered into a nearby trash can. Bare tan feet pad across the carpeted floors of her elderly father's home into the tiled floors of the kitchen, where and old Hispanic man was drinking coffee.

"What did the letter say?" the old man asked, his tanned and winkled face giving her a kind smile. Only to get a frown from his daughter, a plump 26-year-old Hispanic woman that only stood at 5 feet, dressed in some black mesh shorts and dark purple tank top. The young woman shook her head as a few strands of short dark hair fell over her dark brown eyes.

"They're not gonna publish my book either. It's to _'unoriginal'_ my ass. They have a ton of the same stupid romance novels in very genre." Anna grumbled as she turned to the stove where she was making something for them to eat.

"Why not just add a handsome man to your books, and name him Jose?" her father mentioned as he sipped his coffee and tapped threw his smartphone. Anna rolled her eyed and scoffed as she pulled a tortilla off the burner and added another one. "Because then it would be just like the other ones. I want something different than just the female character existing and then attracting a guy or a ton of guys that end up fighting over her. It would be like and other Twilight if I added a-" Anna was saying before her father's phone rang, making her growl at the interruption.

"Hello? Oh! Hey, Clara what's up? No, no, I'm not doing anything. I can talk right now." Jose answered excitedly as he talked on his phone with some woman that made Anna's eye twitch in annoyance, setting some food on one of the plates. Tuning her father's voice out, she set a full plate before him and piled the rest on the other. Having given up talking to her father about her writing while he was on the phone with his _'friends'_. Once her food was plated, she took it and a soda to her room to eat and maybe work on her book more.

"_Sofia De La Cruse was a 'normal' young woman with many issues. She couldn't get by without popping a little white pill into her mouth every day since she was 7. The pills made her 'normal' just like all the other little girls. After all, it wasn't normal for people to see death. Only after 20 years of being 'normal', the pills no longer prevented her from seeing death. Worst yet, was that death could see her too."_ Anna reread the summary of her book out loud, glasses reflecting the black text on bright white pages. "Maybe I should change that to Demons instead? No, then that would freak people out too much… maybe just… mysterious Creatures? Yeah, that sounds better. More whimsical. Leaves me with a lot more wiggle room." Anna reasoned and re typed her summary, trying not to make her book sound so dark and grim. It was good to leave some hope in stories, a way to sting along readers into the next book or two.

Anna's room was a bit messy, with shelves covering most of the walls. Shelves filled with books, toys, and other small knickknacks. Her desk was similar with binders, papers, more books, and mechanical pencils across the surface around her computer. "I think this sounds better. Maybe I can submit it to..." She moved the mouse to look at the spread sheet she made of all the publishers she had sent out her work to. Scrolling down to line 27 to a publisher that had already rejected her twice. "Black Horse Publishing. I think this one will be right up their alley." Anna smiled and pulled up the E-mail to submit her work to. Using the same opening as the last two times she submitted works to them.

"Third time's a charm." Anna let out a weak chuckle as she added the needed files and sent them. Then turned to her already cold food with a slight frown before taking a bite just as there was a knock at her door. "Anna! Don't forget to clean up. I'm going over to Clara's, she needs someone to help her with her oil. I'll be back." Was that her father said as his daughter was trying to eat the food in her mouth to respond. Only to give up and go back to her food when she heard the door open and close. "Anna where are my keys?" Jose called out to her; Anna growled in annoyance as she had just taken another bite. _'How should I know!? They're your keys!'_ She thought before she heard jingling of keys. "Opp! Never mind I found them. See you later babe." He called out to her as the door opened and closed again.

Anna rolled her eyes and just went back to eating and her computer, sending her manuscript to the next publisher on her list, and then the same with the next one. All three publishers had rejected her twice before with her other stories.

The first story she had written hadn't been much different from all the other stories she had read.

A young girl in a new place and meeting a sweet boy that became her best friend… then the boy moved away for some unknown reason. Only to come back suddenly and become the girl's friend again, only to admit he had been crushing on his best friend since their where little. Girl also had feelings for him and then they became boyfriend and girlfriend with a happily ever after.

It was a cringy story from her pre-teens, having liked a boy in her class but had never been friends with, or anyone for that matter. He had been her bully for 3 years before he moved away, never knowing that she had liked him. Anna had heard from cartoons that boys picked on girl's they liked, so it made her hopeful when the boy came back… only the boy had bullied another girl because of her skin color and called the other girl the _'N'_ word.

Anna no longer liked him, as she didn't like being mean to others.

Her second story was a bit more… mature. At 15 Anna wrote a story about two teens with Angel alter egos, one a dark angel, and the other a 'holy' angel who had the job of condemning his beloved but could not. While the two teens never had sex, the two angels did.

It was around this time Anna learned about sex, not from the pamphlets she had been given as a pre-teen, not from the 2-3 classes the health teacher lectured about, and not from firsthand experience. What she learned about sex was from medical books and porn that was available to her threw her very first PC. She wasn't liked by the boys in high school, but she wasn't bullied at her new school… not that she paid attention to other people much.

Anna stuck to herself and did her work as best she could, but it was hard to not see the several pregnant girls in her classes. Even a senior boy she was crushing on exposed he already had a child with an ex girlfriend of his. Having seen him pull out his wallet with a picture of his daughter inside, the writing on the back addressing him as _Daddy_. Disappointed and drowning in like stories of a '_normal'_ girl getting a not so normal guy or two, to fall in love with her and then fight for the right to be with 'normal' girl that wasn't special in any 'normal' way. It was always because she was the _'key'_ to something, abnormal, or a lost princess.

It was only going back to her childhood books did she rediscover a story she already knew.

A book about a boy who was not _'normal'_, he was orphaned and raised by his aunt and uncle, who were not the nicest to him, but spoiled their son rotten with gifts, sweets and toys. Only for the orphaned boy to be told he was of course not _'normal'_ by a strange and abnormal man. He was a wizard, known in another world for defeating a great evil from their world. The boy was then whisked away to this other world that laid hidden right under the world he once knew.

It took on new meaning to her as a teen, it excited her just like the first time she read it. The story never got old as she discovered new things hidden in the books. Hidden clues and meanings in the character's names and actions, foreshadowing and predictions for what was to come. It inspired Anna too write her own story, drawing from her own experiences in life to fuel her writing.

As girl told to be _'good'_ all her life or be yelled at and punished if she did anything _'bad'_. Being taught in school that she must obey her parents but also that what her parents were doing was _'sinful'_. Being told that her father divorcing and cheating on her mother was _'bad'_. That going to live with her mother was _'good'_, only to be left with her grandparents as her mother worked and lived with her boyfriend and, her two younger siblings. Using the money, her that her father had to pay to support her on the two younger siblings instead.

Her mother and grandmother telling her that her father was _'bad'_ and would always take her back to them if she was injured or sick. Other wise her father would ignore her cries of pain and pleads for help.

The cartoons she watched teaching her that stepmothers' where always evil and cruel to their husband's other children, so she was always weary of her stepmothers, and any other women her father would bring close to her.

It was a few years after the death of Anna's grandmother, she was sent to a mental hospital… having been to _'emotional'_ at the old woman's funeral. The woman what had been more like a mother to her then the one who gave birth to her. Swallowing a cocktail of pills didn't help, just making matters worse to the point where Anna made the scars on her hands and feet with broken glass in an emotional out burst.

It was only deathly clam composure and indifference that helped Anna become _'normal'_ with her family. Only looking out for herself while trying to pursue her passion for writing. Living with her father that made good money and would often be with a woman that he found attractive and wanted to fuck every few months. Some times going back to the 2nd or 3rd ex wives if they were free and down to be screwed over again.

Anna looked away from her computer to her phone at the sound of a message, it was from her father.

_**Dad: **__Take some meat out, I'm coming home. Clara's husband took care of it already._

"I guess he came home early. I don't know why he's telling me this. Not like Sam is gonna see my phone." Anna scoffed and rolled her eyes at what she believed was just a cover story. Having been told Clara and Sam had issues after all their kids moved out for collage and started their own lives. Her father was _'friends'_ with Clara and would go over when her husband was out of the house. It was like that with the last woman he saw after cheating on his 3rd wife.

Stretching a bit after sitting at her Computer after playing a game to pass the time, she got up to go to the kitchen and take out the meat her father told her too along with the other stuff she wanted to make with it. Anna never liked her father's _'cooking'_, having lost his sense of smell years ago, the food he made was overpowering and unappetizing. Skipping meals was _'normal'_ for her to do after so many years of poverty and uncleanliness with her mother after her grandmother died.

Now with her father, as his only blood child, she had a fridge and pantry of food and drinks at her fingertips. After taking out the meat, she also took out a soda from the fridge and some chips from the panty before going back to her room to eat her snack.

When Anna got to her computer, she saw a response to one of her submissions. "Please let it be the one." Anna pleaded, taking a seat before grabbing the mouse to open the response. Her eyes scanning it for the word she was looking for but was disappointed after skimming the first paragraph.

"Fuck."

Groaning she just opened the can of soda… only to get a mass of bubbles exploding form the seemingly 'normal' can… and getting it all over her notes and computer that flickered in response. "No! No! No! No! No!" Anna scrabbled in a panic as the screen went black as she rushed the can to the nearest bathroom sink as her small hands tried to contain the oozing sugary mess. Dumping it into the sink, regardless of it erupting again all over the mirror.

The computer with all her manuscripts and publisher information… Her notes that contained future stories, character and worlds she was creating...

Now her notes were brown and wet, the computer and keyboard soaked and sparking as Anna suppressed tears and panic while trying to save the work that she had been building up for several years be reduced to nothing because of a can that looked _'normal'_.

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_A.N.:Please leave a review and tell me what you think. It has been a while since I have written anything/posted on _


	2. Chapter 1: Not Normal

_**~Create Your Own Story~**_

Struggling Adult and Author, Anna Vargas was trying to make something of herself in the world. Having written several manuscripts and been rejected by 99 publishers she was looking for a story to capture the people's interest. She found one in front of her, after climbing out of the debris that was once the Village of Riyute.

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_**~Chapter 1: Not Normal~**_

"Keyboard. Keyboard. Keyboard." Anna looked threw the bin of cheep electronics people had donated to the charity shop. Having taken care of the spilled soda and assessed the damage, it was just the keyboard and computer power strip that needed to be replaced. So, slipping on a black t-shirt, jeans and some sneakers she went to the charity for cheep replacements before her father could get home and lecture her about taking care of her things.

Never mind the fact that he was the one who had dropped the can of soda and just left it with the other cans, not even warning her. That the whole computer was about 5 years old and had the 2nd newest version of Microsoft Word running on it.

"YES~!" Anna smiled as she pulled out a keyboard and proudly sang the tune from Legend of Zelda, when Link finds a new item. Of course, she got some looks from the other people in the shop, but Anna ignored any she noticed, just happy to find a replacement. "This will do, and for just a dollar~." She grinned happily before walking over to a section Anna dubbed as their _'writer's supply_ 'shelf. She often found clean notebooks, binders, markers, colored pencils and other things in this section.

Quickly her eyes landed on a purple book that looked a little worn, a pencil in the loop attached to the book. "Ohh~ Jackpot. Now, is it clean?" Anna asked eagerly as she put the keyboard on the shelf for a moment to grab the book that had no title and just some elegant decoration on the hard cover. The excitement faded a little when she saw there was writing inside.

"Tales of The Four Heroes?" She voiced, confused but interested as the stories she was familiar with usually had one hero or a band of 3 or 5 people being heroes. "Are they one story or Four?" she asked no one and looked through the pages for pictures and more information about the story or stories inside. Anna only found a drawings of 4 men with different weapons, a sword, a bow, a spear, and the last one was closer to the back, a shield. "Huh? I guess this was just some one's old sketch book then. There's nothing else in here, so it can't be a book." She reasoned and looked at the ornate pen slipped into the loop of the book.

Without thinking about it, she pulled it from the loop and was then blinded by a sudden bright light.

_**~Isekaied!~**_

Anna groaned, her head pounding painfully as she struggled to orient herself. The air around her was hot, smelled like burning wood, and felt like something semi heavy was on her back as she laid on the ground that smelled like scorched earth. _'Did I faint somewhere?'_ she thought slowly and moved her fingers, she felt dirt pile under her nails, a slim cylinder in her right hand. Moving her shoulders and pushing herself off the ground, something fell off her back, clattering to the floor noisily as Anna squinted her eyes from the sudden brightness.

"Are you okay miss? Let me help you out of there."

Anna heard a female voice call out, and she could feel the weight on her back disappear, the world around her got a little dimmer and her eyes tied to come into focus…

"What the?" Anna questioned as she saw the recent ruins of what looked like medieval village. Looking around more Anna saw some people in medieval rags that looked like they had just been in a disaster, going through the rubble that had once been homes. "Miss? Miss? Are you okay? Are you hurt? It looked like the whole place came down on you." Anna heard the female voice speak to her left… only she had to blink and rub her eyes to be sure of what she was seeing. A young woman in medieval looking leather armor, with long brown hair, redish eyes and fair skin that looked around 18. What was not normal about the young woman was the two large animal ear looking things on her head.

"Miss? Are you okay? Do you need any help?" The young woman asked again, looking worried and a little uneasy as Anna stared at her ears. "Um? Yeah, I'm okay. Nothing some Advil couldn't fix, but... where am I?" She asked in confusion, rubbing her head as she slowly looked around more for something familiar, only seeing the ruins of the village and some bodies on the ground that looked like mythical creatures.

"This can't be real." Anna muttered in disbelief and confusion.

"Anvil?" The young woman tried to parrot Anna's words but then noticed how Anna was dressed. "You're not from this world? Just like Master Naofumi!" She mentioned but was startled when Anna's head snapped back at her with an audible crack. "Another Word!?" Anna nearly screeched at the young woman who reeled back at the sudden loud noise, the ears atop her head folding a little to protect her ear drums.

"Raphtalia!" A man's voice called out, sound a bit worried as heavily foot falls came over to where the two females where talking. Noticing Anna's clothes that looked like they came from his old world, unless jeans were suddenly invented. "Are you alright?" He asked and came towards them at a brisk walk, not wanting to scare the unfamiliar woman. "M-master Naofumi." The Young woman, Raphtalia, looked to him in confusion. Wondering if he knew this strange woman and if she had come from her master's world.

"This can't be happening." Anna muttered, looking at Naofumi who made her blush, he was a good-looking young man. Short dark hair, sharp green eyes, fair skin, dressed in green and sliver armor that was lined in fur, looking like the chief of some barbarian tribe. That and he looked very concerned about something that made her heart skip a beat. Anna reacted by smashing her head into a still standing beam of what had once been a house… and knocked herself out cold.

Neither Naofumi nor Raphtalia, knew what to do as they stared at the unconscious woman in front of them, her forehead bruised from the self-inflicted blow.

"Mater Naofumi, we have to help her. I don't think she knows she's in another world." Raphtalia spoke, looking at the older woman worriedly, still confused but wanting to help the strange woman. Naofumi sighed tiredly, unsure of what to think of the strange woman himself. "Okay. Let's take her to the villagers and see if she wakes up until then. She's going to be in a lot of pain when she does." The shield hero reasoned, carefully helping Raphtalia pick up the heavy woman to bring her over to the center of the village, where there where many villager's where tending to their injured. Naofumi noticed the looks from the knights that where still there and a few villagers. His unsavory reputation with women still haunting him.

_**~Not Normal~**_

"Ow~. Fuck. That hurts." Anna groaned after an hour, waking up to the pounding in her skull that felt like exploding like a can of shaken soda. Her eyes pry opens a bit to see some villagers cleaning up their village, trying to go back to normal after whatever disaster struck them. She just lay on a thin mat, like some of the injured villagers around her getting treated by their friends and loved ones.

"You're awake. That's good." Raphtalia beamed as she noticed Anna was conscious again, a smile on her face as Anna looked at her, the racoon girl was on her left and was waiting for her to wake up after everything else was taken care of. She pulled out a medicine bottle for the strange woman, holding it out to her. "This is some medicine that will help with your injuries. I can help you sit up and-" She was saying and reached to try and help the woman sit up. Only to be confused when Anna flinched away from her touch out of reflex.

Anna groaned as she sat up on her own, having been laid on her back while her large breasts crushed her neck and lungs, it was not the best position to be in for her. She didn't register the automatic reaction to touch before she looked at the strange liquid in a glass bottle. Not thinking twice about the contents, Anna grabbed it from the young woman with her right hand, with the pen she had taken from the book sticking to her palm. Using her left hand for support, Anna used her teeth to pry off the cork and let it fall away before knocking back the potion like it was a shot in two gulps.

Meanwhile Raphtalia observed her with interest, confusion, and shock. Watching as the potion disappear within seconds as the older woman gasped for air afterwards. Then seeing the confused shock on Anna's face.

Anna moved her body slowly, getting only a few soft pops from her stiff joints as she moved and inspected her body. "Holy cow, I feel so much better." Anna voiced her disbelief as she arched her head back and bent backwards from her sitting position… only to see the handsome young man from before, upside down looking at her in a rather... suggestive position. With her chest puffed out into the air, Anna felt embarrassed and self-conscious, unaware that Raphtalia gave her large chest a curious look before Anna became hunched over and blushing from embarrassment_. _

'_Oh fuck! Why did he had to come and see that of all things!?'_ Anna asked herself in a panic as she heard his footsteps come closer and come up on her right. Anna glanced over at the handsome young stranger as she tried to hide her interest in him. He looked unfazed as dark eyes looked over her body, making her wrap around her body to hide her ample chest from his ebony eyes. Unsure of what he was thinking and going to do to her next.

"Looks like your all healed up… but you're not from this world, are you?" He asked, looking serious as his eyes locked with hers. Anna didn't trust her voice at the moment and nodded hesitantly, before he asked her another question.

"Whose face is on the 100 yen bill?" Naofumi asked seriously, only to get a confused and startled look from Anna as she just blinked, trying to process the question. "Ah… 100 yen bill? As in Japanese currency? Are you Japanese?" Anna asked in return, confusing Naofumi even more. To her he sounded like he was speaking English, and to him it sounded like she was speaking Japanese.

"Yeah, I'm from Japan, but probably not the one you're from." He mentioned, giving a tired sigh as he debated on what to do next as Anna spoke up. "Um? I'm not from Japan. I'm technicity American. Where are we? It looks like this place was a medieval European Village or something. This can't be real right?" Anna asked and looked at the handsome young man again, trying not to panic or blush as she took in his stance… like a man who had been wronged by the world and turned his heart to stone just to protect the soft fragile heart underneath.

Just her type of Husbando~.

"American? Where you visiting Japan?" Naofumi asked, even more confused but Anna chuckled sadly. "I wish. I've never really left the country, and this doesn't feel like a dream, really. Or did I knock myself into a coma?" Anna pondered, her left hand touching her once injured forehead in confusion. Naofumi said nothing but glanced past her, and at the pole she had hit her head against… now broken from where her head bashed into it with some inhuman force.

"This isn't a dream, but you did hit your head pretty hard. Why did you do that to yourself?" Naofumi asked as Anna relaxed a little, pulling her legs to her body to cross them over one another. "I wanted to make sure I wasn't dreaming, but I could still be un-" Anna was saying., She was looking around for something to inflict some more pain, something from this world that could help confirm how real this world was._ 'There is no way I got Ieskaied. I'm not some bad ass that died or a weak little girl who wants a boyfriend.'_ Anna was thinking, frazzled and confused, so she held back a scream when a pair of a strong and firm hands come down on her shoulders, making her flinch from the sudden contact.

"Hey. Don't go hurting yourself again. This place is real, but I don't know how you got here. There was only supposed to be four heroes." Naofumi told her and Anna recognized the phrase. "Like in 'The Tales of the Four Heroes'?" Anna questioned and Naofumi nodded, now looking more serious and he removed his hands from her, getting anna to relax when he pulled away. "Yeah, is it like a video game or book where you come from?" he asked her, wondering if she would be like the other 3 who believed this world was just some game. Only to be surprised when she shook her head, pushing up her amazingly intact glasses.

"It was a book, kinda. It just had drawings of the four heroes. Other than that, the pages where all blank." Anna informed him and then her eyes fell over his right arm… a small sliver shield with a large, green gem looking thing, smack dab in the middle of it. "Hey? This was one of them. Are you one of those heroes? Did I get sucked into some book? Is this gonna be like Fushigi Yuugi?" Anna asked, slowly backing away from the shield hero. Unsure how he would react to her realization, only to bump into Raphtalia, who was very confused by their conversation, let alone why the woman looked concerned.

"I don't know what a play has to do with anything, but yeah, I'm one of those so called '_Heroes'_." Naofumi suppressed a hiss at the word, Anna picked up on his displeasure but saved that information for later.

"I'm sorry, what's your name Miss? My name is Raphtalia, and this is my master Naofumi." The racoon girl gave the older woman a smile, trying to break the tension that was in the air. Anna turned to her; dark eyes now set on the ears atop the other female's head. "Oh? My name is Anna, Anna Vargas. Pardon me for asking this… but are those real?" Anna gave in and asked, pointing above her own head, vaguely aware something was almost glued to her right palm. However, a kemonomimi was more interesting then whatever it was. _'Is she a fox? A cat? No. Those have pointed ears and her's are round… like buns. And her eyes aren't slits.' _ Anna was thinking as she stared at Raphtalia's eyes, making the racoon girl a bit uncomfortable with the odd look she was being given.

"Ah? My ears? Of course, they're real, as is everything around you Miss Vargas." Raphtalia assured her but noticed Anna frown, a shot of panic ran threw her before the woman dispelled her fears. "Just call me Anna, hun. No need to call me miss or anything like that." the older woman assured her before looking down at her right hand at last. In it was the ornate pen that had come with her from the thrift store.

The pen was sliver and purple, and a dark purple, almost black, gem on the top end as there was a cap at the bottom. Curious, Anna removed the cap to see the shiny, and sharp, tip of a fountain pen. The pen didn't look special in any other way. Shifting it in her hand, it hardly weighed anything and was cool to the touch despite being in her hand for a while.

"Where did you get that?" Naofumi asked, curious as Anna didn't seem like the type to have a fancy looking fountain pen on her person, that and she seemed to be unfamiliar with it. "It was with the notebook I found in a charity shop. It feels like it's attached to me somehow." Anna voiced as she tried to pull the pen from her right hand only to get it stuck to her left and back again.

'_Well… at least I can't lose it.' _Anna though after putting the pen back in her right hand, capping it to protect the delicate looking tip.

"It's like with my shield. I can't take it off either or use other weapons. Hey, can you see a little icon at the corner of your vision too?" Naofumi asked her and Anna gave him a confused look before her eyes became unfocused and widened. "What the fuck is this?" Anna gasped as she had done as Naofumi suggested, her vision suddenly being taken up by what appeared to be a character sheet.

"Are these… my stats?" Anna asked as she studied the information in front of her with anxious curiosity.

_**~~Character Information~~**_

_Anna Vargas_ Adventurer LV 1 26 Female

_**Equipment:**__ Scribe's Pen (Legendary Tool) Status Conditions (None)_

_**Attack**_ 2

_**Defense**_ 1

_**Stamina**_ 5

_**Agility**_ 3

_**HP**_ 3

_**MP**_ 2

Possessions Skills

Magic Help

_**~~End~~**_

"Agh, this feels like a video game." Anna voiced with a groan closing and rubbing her eyes, having not blinked at all as she read the stats, not sure if blinking would make it go away, until she did and saw them still in her vision.

"Yeah, is it like some VR game form your world?" Naofumi asked, curious about that stats she had and how they compared to his and Raphtalia's, even if she was most likely at level one.

"You're not supposed to get hurt in VR's . Otherwise the companies behind it would be in for a lot of lawsuits and lost customers if players got hurt from their games. This isn't SAO, it was a crappy story." Anna reasoned before opening her eyes and blinking to moisten them again. "Besides, I don't remember putting on a headset, and VR's makes me sick from staring at the screen so close to my eyeballs." She reasoned level headedly.

Naofumi was surprised and shocked at how rationally she realized this was not a game. Then again, she looked like she could be older than him and Motoyasu, whom was 21, so she could know a bit more than they would.

"Good to know someone has their head on right." He voiced under his breath with a sigh, only to be confused when Anna chuckled from what he said_._

'_A psychotic person like __**ME**__ having their head on right? This guy must have to deal with some real morons.' _Anna mussed and looked at Naofumi.

"So… Naofumi was it? What happened here and why are we here in the first place? Was it some deity or dumb luck that brought us here?" she asked him, and got up from the ground, patting down her slightly dusted and charred clothes. Then she looked around at the village and villagers, trying to clean up their ruined home.

"Let's help the villagers out first. Then we can talk." The Shield hero suggested, and Anna nodded as the three of them went to help the villagers. Anna going off alone to question some villagers about the world she was in, what had happened… and about Naofumi and Raphtalia.

_**~~Skip~~**_

Anna sighed took a small break from shifting threw the village rubble, her high stamina being of some help to save other's and desperately needed supplies for the village. Then a child came up to her holding out a small cup of water, the child gave her a big smile, one she couldn't help but try and return. "Thanks, hun." Anna accepted the water from the small child with a smile, sipping it she watched as the Villagers as the child left and she let the smile fall back into her neutral expression. Having asked a few villagers about what had transpired.

'_So this world is being attacked by strange monsters that come through these 'rifts' in the sky. They call them waves and this wasn't the first one to happen or have been stopped.'_ Anna recalled the drawings from the book she picked up. _'There are 4 Holy weapons: Sword, Spear, Bow and Shield. Four heroes form another world, that are supposed to defend this world. Talk about outsourcing.'_ Anna looked at the two people who helped her with a frown. _'And their young too, less than 20 years old if the villagers are right about how the other three looked.'_ Anna thought as she was looking around at the charred and ruined village, her face turned serious.

'_To think this country's solders where the ones who caused this mess. With its people still around? I can understand not knowing where the next wave would be, but not protecting your own people?'_ She was thinking, a bit of anger bubbling inside her, but she quickly calmed herself and finished the water she was given. Setting down the empty cup, she went to talk with the Shield Hero, hoping for more information from a 'hero's' point of view.

"Hey, Naofumi. Can we talk? I got some questions for ya." She spoke to him, as more questions swam threw her head, a few regarding the carelessness of the solders that where still nearby. Anna giving them a weary look when they got to close.

"Sure, I'll try and give you an answer, but I don't know a whole lot myself." He admitted with a tired sigh, he was unsure if this woman had heard about him. Or how she would treat him now that she knew what he had been accused of. Walking off a few feet away from the villagers and solder's, dunking behind some rubble. Anna spoke first.

"Okay, well first off: How old are you and the other heroes? The villagers said the other three where young boys around high school age." Anna asked seriously, throwing Naofumi off by this unexpected question. "Yeah, I'm 20 years old, the youngest of us is 15 and the oldest is 21… ah? How old are you?" He asked her in return but got an incensed glare, admittedly Naofumi saw that reaction coming. No woman like to talk about her age.

"26." Anna answered him honestly with a low growl before it softened to her normal serious face. "Oh… sorry I asked." He apologized awkwardly, letting Anna see he wasn't a cold as she thought he was, nor as experienced with women. Anna shook her head and sighed. "It was a fair question. So how did you guys come to this world? Was it by reading a book?" she asked him, a bit surprised when the young man nodded. "Yeah, I was reading a book before I was brought here… and I had this '_thing'_ on my arm." Naofumi glared down at his shield, Anna could hear the distain for the legendary '_weapon'_.

"I'm guessing you didn't choose it then huh? The Shield isn't really a weapon, but I bet it's useful for protecting you and others, right?" Anna tried to assure the young man. Remembering the games she played, having used a shield to prevent damage and get in close to attack or retreat from a hostile mob. They were not only good for defense but deflecting certain attacks. Only she doubted the little shield on his arm would make a very good sled for going down steep hills or sledding down snow covered mountains.

"No, and yeah... it does help with protecting others." Naofumi sighed, glad to hear someone voice the silver lining of being stuck with a shield. "What about yours? Is that pen glued to your hand or something? It's not really a weapon either." He pointed out, looking at the normal looking pen as Anna held it up. "Not sure. I just pulled it out of a notebook, and it stuck. From what is says on my stats menu it's a Legendary Tool called The _**Scribe's Pen**_. Kinda useless without ink and some paper though." Anna told him, seeing no harm in sharing that information_. _

'_Or I could just use blood, or would that be to morbid? The tips of these things tend to be pertty sharp. Then again blood would just turn shit brown after it dries.'_ She thought to herself, not wanting to scare this handsome young man so soon after meeting him.

Anna needed to seem '_normal' _for the time being, and she could do normal in this not so normal world.

"Okay last question: Can I tag along with you for a bit?" Anna asked, her look softened to pleading, and she could tell Naofumi was taken aback by it, but also confused as he was quiet for a long time and turned his back to her… then started to walk away, taking three steps before he stopped. "Try to keep up. I'm not gonna slow down just because you're at level 1." The shield hero voiced, as his fists clenched at his sides… but Anna smiled softly as she noticed this.

"I'll try not to. I'm not gonna be at the bottom for long if I want to help with the Waves." She voiced and saw the hero unclench his fists….

_**Anna Vargas **__has requested to join your party_

_Accept__Decline_

_**~~Normal~~**_

"Heroes! We received very little damage compared to last time! Even I cannot hide my surprise about it! I appreciate the efforts of your Journey! Tonight, we feast! So enjoy yourselves to the fullest!" An elderly man's voice boomed out over the mass of nobles all dressed in their finest as he was dressed in a royal purple fur lined cape, and what looked to be the royal jewels as he stood above the crowd with an ornate golden chalice in hand.

'_How can they celebrate like this when a whole village was destroyed?'_ Anna questioned as she stuck to the walls, not far from her new party members, observing the clueless nobles feasting while the people of Riyute that survived the wave where struggling to feed themselves that night.

"What a waste of resources. There is a village of survivors starving out there." Anna grumbled disapprovingly as she looked at the lavish buffet spread, it made her mouth water seeing so much delicious looking food. Then guilt washed over her as she thought of the kind people that had shared what little of their food and water they had with them. Of course, she took very little to be polite and not make life harder for the survivors before tagging along with Naofumi's party to the capital of Melromarc, as a party was being held in the honor of the _THREE_ heroes at the castle.

"I agree but it's free food for us. Eat as much as you want, both of you." He spoke from beside Anna who was still dressed in her dirty jeans and black t-shirt that made her stand out from the court ladies in brightly colored and elaborate dresses. Only now she had on her glasses, sliver oval frames slightly guarding her dark brown eyes. The 'legendary tool' tucked behind her right ear as if it was a normal pen that stuck to her skull and wouldn't fall off, even while fighting a few rabid balloon monsters. "Hm, true. No sense in starving with all this food around. Ohh~! They have cake~." Anna was distracted and briskly walked over to the dessert table, packing a plate full of much needed sugary goodness with childlike glee.

Naofumi looked destressed and envious as he watched Anna enjoy the sugary treats, not minding the looks she got from the snooty other guests. "And she's supposed to be older." He muttered before Raphtalia offered him some food.

_**~With Anna~**_

'_Hmm, this cake is pretty dense. I wonder if they whip their eggs or separate the yoks?'_ Anna thought as she was indulging in the yellowish cake she was eating. Being slightly disappointed by the very different taste to a familiar treat.

"Excuse me, Miss. Would you mind answering a few questions for us?"

Anna blinked in confusion at the voice behind her… recognizing it from an anime she had watched a few years ago. "Biscuit?" she questioned, turning around and was a bit surprised not to see Tekkadan's rotund cinnamon roll. Instead she saw a young boy, maybe the same age as the iron blooded orphan, but this boy was the generic slender Japanese boy model with fair skin, short light brown hair and yellow eyes that looked confused by the unfamiliar name.

"Um? No, thanks. Me and my friend would like to ask you something. If that's alright" The slender Biscuit asked her and motioned to the Generic Slender Japanese boy model 2. Also, fair skinned, slightly longer dark hair that had a blue tint to it, and blue eyes that where observing her silently as she continued to eat her sweet delights. Only something compelled her to look at the familiar weapons they had on their backs.

"Ah. You two must be the heroes of the bow and sword. I wanted to meet you guys any way. My name is Anna Vargas, but please just call me Anna. No Miss stuff." Anna told them, giving a kind smile to the two young boys that looked like they hadn't even left high school. The Bow hero smiled politely at her and nodded. "Yes, Miss Anna. My name is Itsuki Kawasumi, the bow hero." Itsuki introduced himself but also called Anna Miss, which irked her a bit but would let slide for now.

"I am Ren Amak, Sword Hero. It is a pleasure to meet you Anna-san." Ren introduced him self much more considerate and polite then Itsuki, just using the honorific instead of Miss. _'I like this kid.'_ Anna briefly though of Ren but got strange Light Yagami from Death Note, vibes from Itsuki.

"So want do you want to ask me? Or would you like to wait for the other two to join us?" Anna asked, but noticed the two gave each other a confused look, before looking back at her. "No. No. That's fine. Actually, we would like to know which Japan you are from." Isuki answered and gave a friendly looking smile, trying to hide what he was thinking but Ren was easy to read, he had glanced over at Naofumi with narrowed eyes.

"Oh! I'm not from Japan. I'm American. As far as I know I'm not from the same world as any of you." She answered and shivered in delight at the new piece of cake in her mouth. Isuki and Ren looked shocked and worried before they asked another question. "Do you remember how you got here?" Itsuki asked, losing his smile and trying to look as serious as a Pomeranian puppy.

"Yeah. I was at a Charity shop and found a book. Next thing I know there was a flash and I was under the rubble of a destroyed village." Anna intentionally left out a few details, unsure of what to do with her pen. "Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?" Ren suddenly asked, looking overly concerned as he grabbed her right arm. Only to have Anna violently pull away, taking several steps back, giving Ren a glare as the cake she had been eating fell to the floor.

"I'm fine, please don't touch me. Naofumi and Raphtalia helped me out, so I tagged along with them here to meet you guys and maybe help with the waves if I could." Anna mentioned and was going to keel down and clean the now ruined cake. Only for a woman that looked like a medieval maid come and clean it for her. "Do not worry miss. Leave the cleaning to me. Just enjoy the rest of the food." The maid smiled at Anna who was a bit shocked and unused to someone else cleaning up, so she was slow in getting up off the floor.

"Miss Anna? Have you heard of the evil that Naofumi has done?" Itsuki asked her seriously, Snapping Anna's attention back to them. "Huh? What are you talking about?" she asked, Half playing dumb, half curious what the young boy would consider '_evil'_.

"Naofumi is no hero. He assaulted and violated his only comrade in his lustful greed." Ren spoke passionately, blue eyes burning with distaste for the young man who had helped her. "Raphtalia!? Why would he do that? Wouldn't she just leave his party if he did that to her?" Anna asked, mimicking shock at the information, but she had already learned that from the villagers in Riyute. She was weary of him as they traveled, not leaving her back open to him and putting the knowledge her late and formerly incarcerated, uncle had taught her, to good use.

Also, from observing Raphtalia's behavior from their day long trip, she could tell the girl had never been '_touched'_ by the young man and was still very naive of the more '_adult'_ activities. So, she wondered who Naofumi had '_assaulted'_ to gander so much loathing from so many people.

"Um, No. It wasn't her. It was the princess of Melromarc, Princess Myne. She's in Motoyasu's party, he's the Spear hero." Itsuki mentioned and pointed out the hero and the princess clinging to him, whispering something in his ear as her arms looked like they had a vice grip on him. _'That's odd. Why would she be clinging to another man like that after such an experience?'_ Anna thought and asked them something.

"How long have you four been in their world?" she asked, and Ren was the one who spoke up.

"A few weeks, but please let us know if that scoundrel had harmed you in any way Anna-san. Your welcome to join us." Ren spoke with conviction that made Anna smile. Ren allowed him self to feel pride, even as Itsuki sent a small pout his way, wanting to be her hero. "Yes, that guy is nothing but trouble, you would have a better time playing this game with us." Itsuki offered before he felt Anna's hand on his hair, giving him a gentle pat along with Ren. Messing up their hair a little.

"Thank you both, but I think I know what I have to do. It was nice meeting you." Anna walked away from them and back to her party, as she saw the spear hero storm up to Naofumi… leaving the red headed princess behind. "Excuse me? Princess Myne?" Anna called out to the girl, or woman, as she got within 3 feet of her. Anna's eyes widen when she turned around, crimson hair twirled around a beautiful pale face, dark lashes famed gorgeous emerald eyes, and a scowl on her pouty pink lips.

"What do you want?" Myne asked rather curtly, startling Anna back to the present. "Pardon me, but would it be alright if I asked you a few questions? About the shield hero?" Anna asked her, trying to be careful and empathic. The princess only scowled and glared at her. "That Devil Shield hero assaulted me. What more is there to know?" She voiced and Anna took in everything, Myne's words, her expressions, her actions, stance and attitude. "Well, I would like to know if you need any help process-" Anna was saying before she was cut off as Myne turned away from her. "No. I don't need any help other than to get that evil shield and that dirty demi-human out of my kingdom." The princess spat out with venom and walked over to the spear hero. Anna was left to digest this information from the princess as there seemed to be a sudden shift as the room fell so quiet she could hear a familiar voice.

"It's time to fight."

Anna was a bit shocked and half expected to see the Joker Arcana from Persona 5 to suddenly appear and wonder if the room was really in the Metaverse._ 'Being a Phantom Thief of Hearts would be so cool though.' _She thought briefly before she heard Joker's voice again.

"I heard you made poor Raphtalia your slave, and that she obeys your very command." Anna's eyes widened in shock at that information, while she didn't ask him about slaves, she could see by looking around the capital itself there were at least child slaves with animal ears and tails. No one raised a fuss or said a word about the use and mistreatment of children, of demi-humans. Anna had witnessed Naofumi treating the racoon girl more like an apprentice or a daughter then a slave... and that made her start to think of her own father.

'**Don't forget to make me lunch, and can you wash the dishes? I'm going to be in my room. Good night.'**

Her mind brought up her father's words to her, as she had been in the middle of eating what her father had cooked, burgers that where dry and tasted like charcoal. Then the image of all the dishes piled high in the sink, all dirty from half a dozen inedible parties.

Naofumi was nothing like that to Raphtalia, a girl he had no blood relations to at all.

"And what do you care?" Naofumi gruffly responded dismissively. Anna's blood was boiling, more form the memory of her father then anything Naofumi did. Watching this play out before she would act or not, making her decision on who to give her loyalty to.

"Watch your tone." The spear hero rebuked the younger male, who was still very calm even as the other hero seemed to get riled up. "Yeah, Raphtalia is my loyal slave. So what's it to you?" The shield asked, still rather monotone and uncaring as the spear took a step forward. "Listen up! You can't be saying it's okay to enslave others!" The Spear hero nearly shouted angerly, making Anna roll her eyes is irritation.

'_Does he not have eyes? There are slaves everywhere. Especially of the animal ear variety._' Anna thought and was a little peeved the blond didn't see how many slaves where in the town… then again looking around the room there was nothing but human nobles and maids. _'Has this guy's head been so far up in the clouds he can't see what's bellow him?'_

"Do you even hear yourself? Slavery's legal in this crazy place and she's been a great help to me." Naofumi reasoned, as he couldn't use anything but shields, he needed someone to be his offence in order to progress. "But we're hero's in this world. We shouldn't behave that way here and you know it!" The Spare hero scolded him again, and he was right to a degree… but who would help the so-called Demon Shield if they were not forced to?

"You have a right to your opinion. And I disagree." Naofumi disregard the older male, making him more upset about a minor issue. Anna couldn't help but smile at Naofumi's words. She saw him get off his brooding perch on the windowsill overlooking the city below. Anna took a step forward to approach. Only for the Legendary Spear to rise and point at Naofumi in challenge.

"Let's do this, and if I win, You're gonna set Raphtalia free." The blond challenged, Anna rolled her eyes as she passed gossiping nobles… questioning why a hero was trying to save a '_filthy'_ demi-human, speculation of the room guessed that he wanted Raphtalia as his own slave to warm his bed… then there was those that called Raphtalia an ugly mongrel. Anna balled her fists, wanting nothing more then to make the room scream and paint the walls crimson as she heard more gossip from the disconnected and unconcerned upper class.

"Alright. What's the plan if I win this fight?" Naofumi asked, seeing Anna approach, unsure if she would be joining them again or… staying with the other heroes. "That won't happen, but if it does things will stay the same." Motoyasu lamely offered, and Naofumi said the half the words she was thinking.

"Don't be such an idiot." The shield hero turned away from the blond and was walking away. "Master Naofumi?" Raphtalia called to him in confusion.

'_What's there to gain from fighting? The idiot gets what he wants if he wins, but Naofumi gets nothing. There is no incentive. And I doubt she will remain free and alive in this place.'_ Anna was thinking as she came over to Raphtalia, having noticed the looks the girl was getting from the nobles, but the sweet little racoon girl either didn't seem to notice or care.

"A-anna?" She looked confused as Anna put a hand on her shoulder and the younger female didn't flinch. "Let's get out of here, Sweet pea." Anna gave her a soft smile as she used a term of endearment towards her. Raphtalia nodded in understanding and hurried to catch up with her master. Anna took up the rear to protect them, but most Nobles tended to fight with words… but there was there those that had the money to pay others to do so.

"Huh? Miss Anna? Where are you going?" Itsuki asked, speaking up as he saw the woman leaving with the unwanted guest. "Anna-san? Are you siding with that guy?" Ren asked and Anna didn't respond, just turned her head to smile and wave back at them as she left. Naofumi was a little confused when Anna followed him, but his fist clenched as he was stopped by a guard with a trident like spear.

"It has been brought to my attention. That you, a hero, has been using a Demi-human as your slave to fight for you. You violated our customs and that is reprehensible." Anna looked up to the balcony where the king stood, lording over all the nobles, scolding Naofumi for having Raphtalia, let alone having her fight for him. _'What customs has he violated? Or is it an 'I'm the king, I do what I want.' custom?'_ Anna thought as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

"On top of that you have summoned someone from another world to continue your long list of crimes. I order you. Accept the challenge." The king's voice boomed in the quiet ballroom; Anna noticed the king glaring at Naofumi, and the nobles of course followed suit, only to be a little confused and distracted when he mentioned that Naofumi had summoned her…

'_Why would he? And wasn't that during a wave? Wouldn't he have been-?' _She was thinking before a hand landed on her shoulder suddenly from behind. On reflex Anna pulled away and pressed her back to the wall glaring at Motoyasu who looked worried for her. "Hey! They don't need to fight. I'm with master Naofumi of my own free will and-" Raphtalia was declaring before a guard put a hand over her mouth to silence her. Anna's glare turned to the solder, the urge to break his fingers was strong, but it was Naofumi who spoke up.

"Hey! You leave her alone!" The Shield hero growled but was between two guards keeping him in place. "Ah, you poor creature. You've been placed under a curse that forces you to defend him. Have you naught?" The King spoke, spewing out bull shit from his mouth. Anna could tell this was just all a useless act, no one cared if a demi human was cursed or not, they didn't even let her speak for herself.

"Let. Her. Go." Anna growled at the solder as she approached him slowly. He was trying to pull the young girl away from her master but was not expecting Anna to interfere. "Miss, it's the king's-" "She doesn't need to be man handed like some beast. I can get her to follow my orders without a fight." Anna voiced and the room looked at her, in confusion and shock. Anna came inches away from the solder's face, dark eyes looking lifeless even as swords where drawn on her approach. "Now… let her go before I make you." Anna whispered calmly and lowly so only the solder could hear her, and he let Raphtalia go as his face lost color.

"A-anna? You have to help Master-" she begged worriedly but anna put a finger to her lips and smiled.

"Shush now, sweet pea. Come with me and be a good girl." Anna spoke to her softly, none of the killing intent showing in her eyes as she gently, but firmly grabbed the racoon girl to pull her to her side and away from any danger. Naofumi was still not sure if he could trust Anna but was glad she was protecting Raphtalia for him… or from him.

"Don't worry. Once master Motoyasu wins it shall be released from that curse." The King '_assured'_ her, but Anna didn't buy that snake oil, especially after calling Raphtalia an _It_ while sounding like he was doing her a great favor. "But I'm not under any-!" she was saying before Anna covered her mouth this time. "Not here. Just watch and listen for now." Anna instructed and the racoon girl nervously obeyed of her own free will, her ears folded over cutely in worry. Anna couldn't fond over the cuteness as the shit king spoke again.

"Head my order, or I shall take it from you by force." He said as Naofumi tried to get to his party, so far he was trusting Anna but then seeing Motoyasu approach Anna with a smirk made his blood boiled as he though he was being betrayed again.

"There's no way you're getting out of this, you coward." The spear hero, made Anna's hair bristle, glancing at him from the side she could see he was good looking, long blond hair, fair skin, orange eyes, clad in fancy red and sliver armor. Anna di not find him or his actions appealing as she scowled at the blond hero_. 'So says the guy who has a horde of solders pointing their blades at a tank and two 'defenseless' girls. You look more like a coward then Naofumi does.' _Anna though, shifting away from the blond hero with how much she didn't like him.

"You're a scum bag!" Naofumi shouted, his attention on Motoyasu more than anything. The blood looked taken aback by the accusation, maybe even realizing how easily he could be considered the '_bad guy'_ here. "I will win and Raphtalia will be returned to me." Naofumi declared, but then there was an amused, fake feminine laugh from on top the stairs. "And how exactly will you win without it, Shield hero? Is that why you summoned this chubby little girl to fight for you too?" It was Princess Myne, looking like she was greatly enjoying Naofumi suffering as many other laughs could be heard around the ball room.

'_I can understand getting revenge and enjoying it… but I don't think Naofumi really did anything to her. I bet my life she's being a lying bitch for some god knows what bull shit reason. Also calling me FAT was uncalled for. That's it! I'm joining the Shield team.' _Anna decided as she looked at Naofumi and gave him a nod, holding onto Raphtalia hand, trying to give the scared girl some comfort as Naofumi was forced to agree to the meaningless fight.


End file.
